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“Jones Wouldn’t Have a Speed Advantage”- Stipe Miocic’s Coach Warns Jon Jones Ahead of Potential Matchup

Published 09/04/2020, 1:49 AM EDT

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Stipe Miocic wants a fresh challenge in the heavyweight division as he winds down his career. Jon Jones has called for the fight and claimed that the timeline of him bulking up and Stipe’s return will sync up perfectly.

A clash between the light heavyweight G.O.A.T. and heavyweight G.O.A.T. will entice fans, and as per Miocic’s coach, Jon Jones will be facing his toughest challenge yet. 

“Franics Isn’t Exciting to Me”- Stipe Miocic Shrugs Off the Rematch with Francis Ngannou

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Marcus Marinelli said, “I think Stipe’s standup could shut down Jones. And just the size…Stipe is a very efficient 230-something pounds. He is extremely strong, stronger than anyone Jones has ran up against so far.”

Jones spent a dozen years fighting at 205 pounds. He faced trouble when Thiago Santos and Dominick Reyes took the fight to him with their movement. A belief is that Jones moved to heavyweight as he would fight against opponents who didn’t move so well. 

This won’t be the case against the heavyweight champion. Marinelli said, “And Stipe doesn’t move like a heavyweight, he moves like a middleweight, so Jones wouldn’t have a speed advantage.”

However, there is a hurdle for Miocic to overcome if he is to defend his belt against ‘Bones’.

Stipe Miocic must beat Francis Ngannou before facing Jon Jones

The Jon Jones vs Stipe Miocic fight is intriguing, but it will overshadow the rankings with a deserving challenger waiting in the wings. Francis Ngannou is long overdue for his second title shot. 

Dana White clarified that ‘The Predator’ will be the next challenger for the heavyweight title. This puts Jon Jones’ title aspirations on ice for a while.

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He could look to prove himself against another heavyweight or bide his time till he faces whoever emerges triumphant after the Miocic-Ngannou scrap. 

Francis Ngannou is Next for Stipe Miocic Says Dana White

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Miocic knows the key to beating ‘The Predator‘. But, he needs some time to recover if he is to absorb his brutal KO shots over the course of five rounds, make his fifth successful defense, and progress to fight Jon Jones. 

What do you make of Marinelli’s assessment of a Stipe Miocic vs Jon Jones fight? Is the Cleveland fighter the only candidate that has the power and speed combination to trouble ‘Bones’? 

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Reubyn Coutinho

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Reubyn Coutinho is a Combat Sports editor at EssentiallySports with over 2 years of journalistic experience. Having earned his bachelor's degree in Mass Media with a specialization in Journalism from Xavier's College, Reubyn has interned with the sports desks at DNA and Times Now before joining EssentiallySports to further his passion for sports content. Reubyn has interviewed former UFC champions like 'Mighty Mouse' Demetrious Johnson and Miesha Tate.
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